1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to trailers and more particularly to small boat trailers that can be assembled or disassembled for storage after transporting and launching a boat in a body of water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A novelty search of boat trailers disclosed a dolly type trailer and a towing trailer. Both provide some problems with cost, assembling and disassembling of the trailer structure requiring considerable time and effort.
For example, a dolly type of carrier is disclosed in a Pat. No. 4,214,774 issued to Ronald P. Kluge. The dolly consists of an elongated tongue connected to a wheeled support section. The tongue includes three tube lengths joined together in mechanical joints. One end of each tube slides into the open end of an adjoining tube. On the entering tube is a stop washer welded thereon to limit depth of penitration. The end of the receiving tube is threaded and split. Included on the split end is a ring member which has tapered internal threads. The ring member may be turned whereupon the split end is compressed to hold the end of the entering tube tightly within the receiving tube. The connection of the third tube to the wheeled section is done in a similar manner.
A sectional boat trailer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,938,735 issued to J. C. Bennett. Like Kluge, Bennett suggest a structure comprising disassembling means. Unlike Kluge, however, Bennett's trailer is a heavy, full size carrier. The tongue consists of three sections of three spaced tubes welded to the ends of several transversely placed tubes as seen in plan view. Similarly, a fourth tube is spaced connected beneath the upper middle tube by vertical tubes as seen in the side vertical view. The tongue is separated into three of the above described sections connected together by the female ends of a section enclosed over solid cylindrical extensions projecting out of the female ends of an adjoining section. A pin is inserted in a hole extending through the joined sections holding them together. The wheeled portion of the trailer assembled in two sections are similarly pinned to each other and to an end of the tongue. A towing hitch is welded on the other end.
The patents discussed above suggests boat carrying structures that may be readily disassembled. Kluge takes his carrier apart by manually separating the joints by turning a threaded member on a split end connection to another member. The wheeled section is similarly separated and folded. This requires considerable time and effort to take the structure apart for storage. Further, the shape and size of the separated sections will require considerable space for storage.
Bennett's system for disassembling his trailer is like Kluge's except that the sections of his structure are heavier and longer. Separating the joints will obviously take more time and effort, and the storage problem is even greater.
In view of the above references, it is the object of the present invention to provide a boat trailer that will solve the aforementioned problems. The structural members of the present invention are neither welded in sections, assembled with pins or mechanically joined together. With some minor exceptions, the structural member consists of straight lengths of light tubing loosely connected and then pressed into a strong and rigid structure by external means. This novel feature provides simple, rapid and inexpensive means for assembling and taking apart the trailer of the present invention.